70th anniversary of Marsascala’s St Anne statue

2017 marks the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the Titular Statue of St Anne for the village of Marsascala.

It was Saturday 6 September 1947 when the statue arrived from the small village of Ortisei, in the Italian province of Bolzano. It was Parish Priest Fr Tarcis’ dream that became a reality thanks to the generosity of a certain Spiru Vellu from Vittoriosa, who paid the expenses of a statue dedicated to Our Lady Mary’s mother, St Anne.

He also wished that Marsascala’s St Anne’s Church would become a parish church and that a larger church would be built, and this too eventually became a reality when it was built on La Sengle Street.

Various religious activities were held to commemorate this anniversary. It was actually at the end of last year that Archbishop Emeritus Mons. Pawlu Cremona concelebrated a Holy Mass together with the Parish Priest of Marsascala Fr. Roderick Camilleri, accompanied by other priests.

Sunday 23 July the statue was taken from its niche to start the preparations for the Titular Feast.

On Friday 28 July 2017 a good number of babies who had been born since last year’s feast were presented to St Anne, in a long-standing long tradition of the parish, which welcomes hundreds of babies born in Marsascala, and from other parts of Malta.

On Saturday 29 July, as part of the feast and of the 70th anniversary from the arrival of the parish’s statue, Archbishop Mons. Charles J. Scicluna, together with other priests, concelebrated a Holy Mass in Marsascala Square.

On Sunday 30 July 2017 there was the procession with the artistic statue of St Anne which was conducted by Canon Robin Camilleri, the Archpriest of Senglea.

To wrap up these solemn feasts marking the 70th Anniversary of the arrival of the statue, there will be a Holy Mass concelebrated by the Parish Priest Fr. Roderick Camilleri, together with the parish’s clergy on Wednesday 6 September at 6.30pm – the date on which the statue of St Anne arrived in Marsascala 70 years ago.

All Marsascala parishioners, and all those who are devoted to St Anne are encouraged to attend the religious function.